Remebrance
by Music Fantasi
Summary: The threat of an Arrancar attack causes Captain Hitsugaya to protect a small village on the outskirts of the Rukon District, allowing him to find someone he never thought he would find again. Will the boy remember him or will Toshiro have to leave with the knowledge that he is gone forever?
1. Chapter 1

_Everything around me is hazy and dark. I can't see very well, but I know that someone is in front of me. They are pulling me forward by my wrist. The ground shook under my feet as they pound against the pavement. Something was chasing us. I didn't know what it was and couldn't see it when I looked behind me. Suddenly the person in front of me began to fall and I tripped over them, rolling away. The person, I couldn't see their face, couldn't place a name, pulled me to my feet again._

_I let out a small cry in surprise as two hands push me roughly aside, making me stumble back onto the ground. As I land on the pavement I can hear the sickening noise of crunching concrete and an agony filled scream that sent terror stabbing through my heart. Snapping my head up, I can see the person-just a boy- being held by an invisible force several feet in the air; The concrete of the building cracked and crushed around his body. I screamed something, but I can't remember what it was. The boy opened his mouth to scream again as his body was crushed more, but only violent coughs escaped from him as blood erupted through his mouth from his lungs. _

_I ran in blind desperation, a large, sharp piece of fallen concrete in my hands, and lashed out. I managed to connect with whatever the invisible creature was and felt its blood gush around the chunk of rock and on my hands. I ran over to the boy, now laying crippled on his back, breathing roughly. I shouted at him that we had to run away, fear and desperation almost choking me._

_Pained, horribly dull grey eyes opened tiredly to look at me._ _" R-run, Haru." His voice came out weekly, ending in a cough as more blood came out of his mouth from his lungs._

_Tears began to run down my face. " Not without you! Get up, I-I can't just leave you."_ _I gently grabbed the boy's arm, lifting him from the ground, causing him to cry out at the movement. I managed to pull him to his feet with him leaning all of his weight on me due to his being unable to use his legs_.

" _L-eave me here…and r-run." His weak voice said again. I shook my head stubbornly, half dragging, half carrying the broken boy along with me. I felt the limp body go tense, seeing what I could not. I was shoved roughly to the side, stumbling several feet away. A loud crash followed by another agony filled scream pierced the air. Fear again stabbed at my heart._

_The boy was being pinned again by the hand. It was crushing the life out of him and felt like it was crushing my heart as well. This boy, I couldn't think of who he was or what relation he had had to me, but I know that he was very important to me. Once again a name was ripped from my throat by I can't hear or remember what it is. I can see the difference in the air around the boy; its shimmering and moving. I shout again as I begin to run at it once._

" _D-damn it, Haru…RUN!" the boy bellowed with all of his remaining strength. Blood forced its way painfully out of his lungs, erupting from him in violent coughs, his life being crushed out of him. He squeezed his eyes closed in agony. Then suddenly it was like all the pressure crushing him was gone. He took a sharp intake of breath as his constricted lungs were freed. I don't know what happened, but I race over to him. _

_He looks up at me with dull eyes. I can see the light fading from them. He's going to die. This realization grips my heart with dread and sadness. I shout out to him, tell him that he can't die, but he doesn't say anything. Just looks up at me, struggling to breath. There is relief in his eyes. Slowly, they slide closed and don't open again. The loud, rugged breathing ceases, and I'm left alone over his dead body, shouting and sobbing and screaming for him to come back._

"No!" The word rips its way out of my throat as I shot up in my makeshift bed. I gasp for breath and look around me wildly. The familiar walls of the wooden shack meet my eyes. Around me my two friends, Yuri and Ren, and the old man we share the "house" with, his name is Kytoshi, are still sleeping. Taking a deep breath, I kick the thin blanket off me and quickly, but as quietly as I can, I leave the small hut and walk outside.

My face feels cold and wet, and, reaching up to touch my cheek curiously with my hand, I discover the evidence of tears. With a growl of frustration I scrub my face with my hands. I've been having that weird dream for days now. Each night it gains more and more detail. I can almost place what it is and who that boy is but every time I think I'm close to figuring it out it slips out of my fingers.

" Hey, you ok Haru?" Yuri's voice suddenly asks me. I snap my head around to look at the girl's skinny frame. She's fifteen, a year younger than me, but a little short and very skinny. She walks out hesitantly, brushing some of her messy brown hair behind her shoulder.

" Yeah, I'm fine. Just that dream again." I look away from her and down the dirt path that is the main road of our outer Rukon District village. We're actually the village on the very outer edge of the Rukon. The village is poor and its hard here. Virtually no one ever comes to the town unless they're new to the Soul Society and wander in. The only real way to get to anywhere better than here would be to become a Soul Reaper, but that has never happened. No Soul Reapers ever come here.

" Seems like this one was worse than the others."

" You could say that." I answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. That boy's agonized scream was ringing through my mind again.

" Did you figure out who the boy is?"

I sigh, dropping my hand back to my side. " No. Every time I'm close it slips away."

" I found a book yesterday in one of those ruined buildings in the woods. It said that sometimes souls can hold on to the memories of their human lives. Maybe that's what this dream is?"

" Maybe. But I don't get why it keeps bugging me."

" Maybe it's a warning. Your body's way of telling you that you need to remember something."

" Why would I want to remember someone dying?"

She was quiet a moment. " I don't know. Maybe so you can find them here. Anyway, it's still late. Are you coming back in?" She looked up at me with her pale brown eyes, they almost looked golden.

" Yeah, I'm coming." I follow her back into the small hut to attempt to get more sleep.

" Wake up you lazy teenagers!" Kytoshi shouted, pulling open the door and allowing an onslaught of sunlight to attack our still sleep hazed eyes.

" Ah, Kytoshi, what the Hell?" Ren exclaimed, pulling his thin, green blanket over his head.

" What's going on?" Yuri asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

" Something happen?" I ask, climbing to my feet and stretching.

"The Village Leader called for everybody to report to the town square immediately. Now hurry up or we'll be late!"

We didn't have clothes to change into, so we were all ready within a few minutes and walking down the dirt road towards the center of the small village. " I wonder what the problem is." Yuri mused aloud.

" Probably just another Hollow warning. There's been a lot lately." I said.

" Yeah and they're always false alarms. No hollows ever attack here." Ren complained. He jumped ahead of us and turned around, walking backwards. " But wouldn't it be cool if one did? We'd get to see a real Hollow and maybe even a Soul Reaper!" He yelled in excitement.

" You do realize that Hollows eat souls like us, right?" I asked in a deadpan voice.

" Yeah, but we could take one! Like to see a Hollow take me and you on, Haru! We'd send it running back to Hueco Mundo!" I just laughed at his enthusiasm. Yuri's laugh joined mine.

" You're delusional, boy." Kytoshi said in a joking tone. Ren just grinned, turning back around and falling into step with us. Soon we met up with the small crowd. In the center was a makeshift stage and on it was the town leader; a tall, lanky man with grey hair and a short beard.

" Attention everyone! You have all been called here this morning due to the sighting of Hollows near this area. We weren't given many details, but I have been told to make sure that you all stay in the village." His deep voice spoke to us.

" And if there is a hollow here, what difference will it make if we stay here or not?" A man in the crowd shouted.

" If there are hollows we need someone to kill them otherwise we aren't safe regardless of where we are!" Someone else shouted. Everyone was tired of being depraved of a day to get things done in the village because of false alarms. Around here there was a lot to be done every day to keep everything working right.

" Yeah, who's going to save us if it does attack?" A woman shouted.

" That would be me. I am Captain Hitsugaya of Squad Ten." A voice said coolly from above us. Everyone looked up quickly to see the Soul Reaper standing calmly on the roof of a nearby hut. He hopped down onto the small stage next to the Town Leader. He turned to address him, " I have checked in the woods around the village and not found anything." He turned to address the crowd of awestruck villagers. Never had a Soul Reaper came to our village, much less a _Captain_. " For now, you have no need to be alarmed. I will remain until the threat has passed. If you must leave the village, do not go far, otherwise carry on as if nothing was amiss."

" Whoa…" I breathed as I stared at him. He looked like he was the same age as me. His black shihakushō and white Haori swept behind him as he walked gracefully off the stage, the number ten written on the back of it. His Zanpakutō was strapped to his back with a thin chain that had a gold ornament in the center that matched the hilt of his long blade and a teal colored scarf was wrapped around his neck. His hair was shockingly white and his bangs hung over the left side of his forehead, slightly in his bright turquoise eyes. Despite his young appearance, he looked every bit of how I imagined a Captain would.

" A… Captain…" Ren whispered in awe, watching him as he walked through the crowd, a chilly air sweeping by us as he passed and walked away down the road, looking around the village, expression unreadable. " I can't believe I'm actually seeing this!" He whispered in excitement.

" He sure is handsome." Yuri sighed, staring dreamily after him. Ren snapped to attention and looked at her, jealously flooding his features. He had had a crush on her for I don't even know how long. I laughed quietly, casting a glance at the two of them.

" Well, he said that as long as we didn't go too far we could carry on like normal."

" And you three need to go find some wood to patch up the hut in preparation for that storm coming." Kytoshi informed us.

The three of us sighed and trudged down the path towards the woods. He says there will be a storm, but no one really believes him. He's been saying it for days now, but all we've had is perfect sunny weather. Storms are rare in the Soul Society, but he swears that there is one on the way and that it will be the storm of all storms. We walked through the woods searching for some wooden planks, talking about the appearance of Captain Hitsugaya. A lot of them could be found if you knew where to look because of all the abandoned and destroyed houses in the forest. " I can't believe there's a Captain here!" Ren exclaimed.

" Yeah, it's hard to believe. I can't help but wonder why they would send such a high ranking officer just because of some Hollows, though." I said, picking up a rather large stick and using it as a walking stick.

" It is strange. I wonder if any of us will get to talk to him." Yuri commented, clasping her hands together in front of her in anticipation. " That would be so cool." She smiled dreamily. She paused a moment and glanced at me. " You know, now that I think about it, you and Captain Hitsugaya look a lot alike. Minus the hair color."

We stopped walking as Ren and Yuri began staring at me. " She's right. If you had white hair instead of black and it was a bit longer, you'd be twins!" He commented.

I lifted an eyebrow at them. " You think so? I don't think we are though. Me? The twin brother of a _Captain_? Not very likely." I began walking again.

" I wonder if he could teach us some kidō or something!" Ren exclaimed, shifting the subject.

" You can only use kidō if you have reitsu and I don't think any of us do." I commented offhandedly, surveying the area for wood or danger.

" Maybe we should split up. Not go too far from each other, but just look in different directions." Yuri suggested.

" Sounds like a good idea." I said, continuing straight as Yuri went left towards a cluster of large trees and Ren walked off towards a clearing with several small hills to the right.

I used this time to think on my dream. Could it be coincidence that I keep having that dream and now a Soul Reaper Captain appears? One that apparently looks almost identical to me? And what if my mind is trying to make me remember someone, could I have know this Captain Hitsugaya when I was alive? I think I would remember someone with snow white hair, but then again I don't know. It's not like I really remember anything from when I was alive.

We searched for about ten minutes before Ren yelled, " Hey, look what I found!" and began waving at to Yuri and me from on top of a hill, his blond hair glinting in the afternoon sun. We ran over to him, discovering a pile of broken wood boards. " Pretty good find, huh?"

" Yeah it is!" I shout. " This is perfect for patching up the hut."

" Good job, Ren." Yuri smiles at him, causing him to blush, happy embarrassment shining in his bright green eyes. I laugh as I bend down to grab a few of the boards. Looking more closely, this seems like it used to be a house that got destroyed. And the boards are in good condition still, so it couldn't have been a storm, we haven't had one in ages.

" Hey what do you think happened to this house?" I ask, standing up and taking a step back for a closer look, Yuri and Ren joining me.

" It looks… crushed." Yuri said, cocking her head to the side to look at it from a different angle.

" You're right. Like something knocked it down. Most of the boards are still whole, but all the ones on the front side are snapped." Ren added.

The threat of the Hollows suddenly roared in my mind. " You guys don't think it's…" I gulped and looked to them.

Yuri's golden eyes shone with fear. " …Hollows?"

Ren went pale. " Maybe we should grab the boards and head back, just to be safe?" Yuri and me nodded, quickly grabbing some boards and rushing off the way we came.

" What's the hurry?" A voice laughed mockingly as a man in white appeared before us. He had a sword strapped to his waist and a hole where his heart should have been. On his bicep a hollow mask was strapped.

" Who are you?" Yuri asked.

" My name is Takeshi." His cold grey eyes looked us all up and down. " You sure are cute." He commented, looking at Yuri. I didn't like the look in his eyes. Apparently neither did Ren because he stepped protectingly in front of her. " Oh, who's this? Your boyfriend of something?" He took a step closer.

" What do you want?" I said loudly, directing his attention to me.

" Oh nothing, really." He began to circle us like a predator.

What was he? He had a Hollow Hole but he looked so human and he could speak. I haven't heard of any Hollows able to do that. " What are you?"

" _What am I?_" He shouted, seeming to be offended. " Surely you've heard of us! The Arrancar, Hollows that have obtained the powers of Soul Reapers." His face obtained a wicked smile.

" So you are a Hollow?" Ren asked wearily, not letting his eyes stray from the strange man.

" I _said _ I was an Arrancar!" He shouted, lashing out and punching Ren right across the jaw, sending him flying from the force. " I have the power of hundreds, no, _thousands_ of Hollows!" He shouted, laughing like a manic and leaping to attack Ren again. I jumped at him, hoping to tackle him to the ground, but he turned within an instant and knocked me aside. I hit the ground hard several yards away, the wind knocked out of me, Yuri's voice ringing in my head as she cried out my name. " You want a fight, boy?"

He approached me like I was some type of prey, drawing his sword. He raised it above his head as he stood before me. I couldn't move due to the fear coursing through me. As he brought the sword down in what surely would have been a killing blow, a wall of ice formed rapidly between us, his sword striking it and bouncing off.

" So you come out of hiding at last Arrancar." Captain Hitsugaya's cool voice glided over to us from where he stood several meters away. He stood casually with his sword out, a trail of ice sprouting from its tip situated on the ground all the way to the wall in front of me.

" A Captain, aye?" Takeshi said in glee. He raced recklessly towards the white haired Captain, the wall of ice that had saved me melting as he moved away. Yuri and Ren ran over to me where I still kneeled on the ground. Their movements were so fast! I could barely keep track of them. When they finally separated Captain Hitsugaya stood in a battle stance with his blade held steadily while Takeshi stood panting and bleeding from numerous cuts along his legs and torso. With a deep breath he emitted a long whistle.

Multiple roars were heard surrounding us as Menos Grande appeared, towering above the ground. They all began charging some kind of energy about their mouths. I heard Captain Hitsugaya curse and suddenly he was in front of us. He stabbed his blade into the ground, forcing ice to erupt all around us, surrounding us in a barrier. " What's going on?" Yuri asked fearfully.

" They are going to fire a series of Ceros at us." He said calmly, standing over us, his face watching the growing size of the ceros. I could feel the energy crackling around us as the balls of red light continued to grow.

" Cero?" I asked, voice slightly panicked.

" It is a very powerful attack that only upper ranked Hollows can use." He cast a glance at me, his expression slightly puzzled. Suddenly the air around us erupted into a barrage of explosive noise. Yuri screamed and grabbed onto Ren and me as the Captain stood protectively over us, hand still on his Zanpakutō. I risked a glance outward, only seeing the red light of the Cero being blocked and absorbed by the thick ice surrounding us in its cold, protective shell. When the sound ceased and the red light vanished the ice around us shattered in the same moment as Captain Hitsugaya jumped into the air, seeming to fly until he was at eye level with the Menos. " Reign over the frosted Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"

Even from the ground so far below him I could feel the icy power he released. His blade was different now; from the back of it extended a chain with a crescent shaped blade on the end. It whipped around behind him, seeming to levitate in the air on its own accord, never getting too close to the Captain. With his left hand he grabbed the chain and threw the blade at the nearest Menos, the chain extending infinitely to wrap around the hollow's massive bulk. Ice spread upwards rapidly from the chain, freezing the Hollow's midsection with a rising wall of thick ice. Captain Hitsugaya turned sharply, snapping the chain back with him, causing the Menos to be shatter into two halves, evaporating into nothing as it died.

He jumped higher into the air as a Cero was fired at him and vanished, reappearing in front of the second Menos. With a powerful, graceful upward sweep of his blade he cleaved the hollow's face in two, also causing it to disintegrate. Without a moment's pause he moved onto the next then the next, dispatching each Menos in a shower of ice and graceful sword strokes. After he finished off the eighth Menos, he jumped back down in front of us, his back to us, scanning the area for Takeshi who was nowhere to be seen.

He turned back to us after a moment. " Are any of you injured?" Despite his young appearance, his expression made him seem so much older. I can't imagine what he's had to go through to be such a powerful Captain at such a young age. A slight tear in his shihakushō catches my attention momentarily. As the soft breeze blows by I notice a small scratch on his arm, barely there and already healing, the black robe mending itself as well.

" A bit bruised, but I'm ok, Sir." Ren answered, bowing his head in a respectful way, flinching as it caused him some sort of pain.

Yuri followed suit, " No, Sir."

He nodded wordlessly, turning his eyes upon me as he seemed to wait for my response as well. I carefully tried to climb to my feet, testing my bones and limbs. Upon putting pressure on my left ankle my whole leg gave out, making me fall back to the ground with a small pained sound. Captain Hitsugaya's hand snapped out and grabbed a hold of my wrist, saving me from my painful descent to the ground. " I think my ankle is broken." I ground out as it began to throb painfully.

Captain Hitsugaya hummed quietly under his breath, and, after carefully lowering me into a sitting position, kneeled down in front of me. He reached out a hand and placed it carefully on my ankle, causing me to flinch in surprise at the sudden contact and the coldness of his fingers. He didn't look away from my wounded ankle, simply closed his eyes while a soft green glow surrounded his hand. The pain faded quickly, leaving only a shadow of the previous pain echoing through the now mended bone. He removed his hand and stood, turning away from the three of us. " It will be sore, but it is healed. You three should remain nearer to the village today; I do not know when the Arrancar will resurface."

" Yes, Sir." We all said in unison. And, with a quick, searching, wondering glance at me, the Captain of Squad Ten disappeared. I wonder if that look meant that he had the same feeling about me that I had about him?

That stick I had grabbed really had come in handy on that walk back to the village. Captain Hitsugaya was right; it was sore and it still hurt to put pressure on, but at least it wasn't broken. We managed to grab several of the wooden boards to bring back with us, making Kytoshi happy, only to make him worried again when we told him what happened. He told us we weren't allowed to leave the village again until this whole hollow Arrancar business was over with.

As we all headed off to bed, I began to anticipate my dream. I want so desperately to remember everything about that event. I want to know who that boy is and why he is important to me. I know now that it has to be a memory. What else could it possibly be? Every night it is almost exactly the same except with every night the events become clearer, brighter, more understandable. I'm getting closer to completely understanding and knowing what the dream is about and what it is suppose to be telling me.

Disappointment flooded through me when I awoke violently with no new details being given to me.

The dream, no matter how much I anticipated it, still shook me up. It seems to be becoming a nightly routine now. I have the dream, I wake up violently, I go outside to find that I had been crying in my sleep, and I walk around the village alone, trying to find the meaning of it all. Tonight I follow this routine, completely oblivious of the danger I am potentially putting myself in due to the Arrancar slinking about somewhere. I can't help it; I have to be outside, alone, in the quiet, crisp air.

It's so nice out tonight. Not a cloud in the sky, the stars and moon shining down brightly. The October chill is beginning to set in, adding the perfect chill to the fresh air. Crickets chirp somewhere close by and the normal bustling streets are deserted and peaceful. I love to walk through the town at night, something I only discovered after my dream started sending me running outside to escape it.

Suddenly the feeling of eyes following me makes me pause. Acting on instinct, I look up onto the roof of the building a bit up the road and to my right. Reclining against the makeshift roof is the Captain of Squad Ten himself, bright eyes open and alert, watching me. The thought of how ice suits him strikes me. He has such a cool attitude and air around him, his eyes cold and calm and the color of freshly frozen water. His hair is the color of untainted snow. No other element could suit him better.

" Why are you wondering about so late?" He says, breaking the silence.

" I, uh, couldn't sleep." I said quickly, glancing slightly to the side of him, towards the almost full moon.

" You should not go off alone, out of everyone else in the village you should know this the best." He sat up but remained on the roof.

" I know, I'm sorry Captain Hitsugaya." I said, bowing my head. " I just can't seem to sleep the past few nights and the village is so nice at night. I can't stop myself from walking around." I said sheepishly, smiling in my embarrassment.

He scowled slightly at this, that same searching, wondering look returning to his features. " What is your name?"

I blinked in surprise at the sudden question. " It's Haru, Sir."

A look came into his eyes, one I can't understand or explain. " Well, Haru, if you must stroll about at night, stay within the inner town where it will be safer."

" Yes, Sir." I said, bowing again, wondering why he had given me that look. Had he recognized my name? Could it be that he was, actually, feeling that he knew me like I felt like I knew him from somewhere? If so, did that look mean that he had placed how and where he had known me?

He said nothing else, simply reclined back once more on the roof top, gazing at the stars in what appeared to be deep thought. Taking the hint, I quickly walked back the way I came, the same questions popping in my head. I rushed back to the hut and laid down in my makeshift bed, willing myself to fall asleep in dream. Never had I wanted to have this dream more than I did right now. Could it be that he was that boy? I had to find out.

When I woke next, I caught sight of the empty hut and the sun peeking through the curtain that was our door. I hadn't dreamed again, although that was normal. I knew no more about that event than I had last night. I had questions and theories and guesses but no answers. Answers were what I needed, what I so desperately wanted. I grudgingly got up and headed outside.

Yuri, Ren, and Kytoshi were nowhere to be found and I found myself wondering aimlessly through the town, thankful that my ankle didn't hurt today at all. This week was the week of the storm or at least that's what Kytoshi says. Personally I think he's losing it, the day is beautiful and warm, not a cloud in the sky. The sun shone down hotly, warming the October air to a nice temperature with only the slightest hint of a chill. It was perfect weather.

Not having any luck finding my friends, I head back to the hut. I could at least start applying those boards to the hut. When I arrive, I find a small pile of food, four higher quality blankets, four actual pillows, and a medium sized water poach filled with clean water. I looked around for a note or hint as to who left it all there at the door, but find nothing. Well, this was strange. It's not every day someone drops off supplies at your door. Definitely appreciated though; none of us have pillows, or good blankets, or any real food, and definitely not clean drinking water.

I distribute the items equally, laying a pillow and blanket in each sleeping spot and dividing up the food between the four of us. I left the water in the poach where it would stay cleaner. On the wall by the door I noticed a note pinned up.

_Haru,_

_Ren and I have gone with Kytoshi to the market to gather supplies for the storm he insists is coming. We should be back before noon. Stay safe._

_~Yuri_

I frowned slightly, glancing at the materials now all over the small room. They couldn't have afforded this stuff. I don't even think things of this quality are sold here, so these things couldn't have come from them. Where were they from? It's not like we know anyone with money or from other villages or anything. I wish I knew who had left it, I would like to thank them.

It's been several days now and Kytoshi's storm still hasn't showed up. My dream has also not offered any useful information. My nightly routine, however, has changed. Now every night I track down Captain Hitsugaya, he's always on some roof top in the village, and talk with him. Well, the last two nights we've had half conversations, the night's before it was mostly silence. It was a rather comfortable silence though, at least after the first night it was.

Tonight, I'm following the same routine. My dream has given me no information except that the boy has the same color eyes as me, but it has woke me up violently once more and sent me running for the outside. As I calm down, I begin to walk to the eastern side of the town where I know I'll find the white haired Captain and I notice the slight, continuing drop in the temperature as I get closer. It doesn't take long for me to spot him, although, by the looks of it, he seems to actually be asleep up there on the roof top.

I pause to watch him, trying to figure out if he is asleep or merely has his eyes closed. It looks like he's asleep, and having a nightmare, by the way he's shifting restlessly and his face is scrunched in distress. I stand a moment, unsure of what to do now and not wanting to wake him up, when suddenly he jumps awake, his features filled with terror and agony, frost shooting out in all directions from his spot on the roof. He closes his wide, terror filled eyes and takes a deep breath, immediately composing himself, the frost dissipating. A surprisingly icy breeze whispers passed me, making me shiver slightly at the sudden decrease in temperature.

After a moment, he seems to notice me. " Out again?" He asks wearily, rubbing one eye with the back of his shihakushō. I felt the temperature beginning to warm up again.

I smile sheepishly at him. " Yep. This is my nightly routine."

" I've noticed." He sighed deeply, standing up and jumping down off the roof, landing beside me. This was new, he normally just stayed up there.

" If you don't mind my asking, Sir, why are you always on a roof?" I look at him curiously. Now that I'm standing next to him, I notice we're exactly the same height.

" I enjoy high up places." His answer surprised me; Normally when I ask a question like this he doesn't reply. Well, this adds to the very small list of things I know about the Squad Ten Captain.

I looked up, wondering what it would feel like to be able to stand on something so high and be able to look out over everything else. " I've never really been up high before. Besides climbing some trees that is."

He casted a sideways glance at me as he began walking down the dirt road at a relaxed pace. I followed of course; he seem unnaturally sociable tonight already. " Not everyone shares my sentimentality concerning heights, but I enjoy being as close to the sky as I can be."

" Why don't you choose one of the trees then? I'd think they would be about as comfortable as a roof and they go much higher." I commented, watching him out of the corner of my eyes, curious of if he would respond.

He lets out a small sigh, his breath making the ragged blue green scarf around his neck shiver in the rush of air. " It is my duty to protect this village from that Arrancar, thus I must remain close by it."

I thought back to how outmatched Takeshi had been. " I've been wondering, why would they send a Captain for an Arrancar? Are they that powerful?"

" To lower rank Soul Reapers and to normal souls, yes, and they were at first to us higher ranked officers as well. However we have become well accustomed to fighting them now. For the reason as to why I was chosen, many of our upper rank Soul Reapers are currently already on assignment elsewhere and I was one of the few available."

" Ah, I see. A Captain would normally never set foot in a village like ours, huh." I couldn't help the bitter tone my voice adopted. I had always thought about how the Soul Society didn't even seem to care about us at all. The living conditions here are horrible. We don't have houses, we have shacks and huts that are horribly built and leak all the time. We barely have enough food for everyone and supplies are few.

He stopped walking, forcing me to as well, and turned to face me, his face unreadable. " I apologize for the Soul Society's absence in this village. I believe, or rather I hope I should say, that that is going to change soon. Many things are changing recently." He ended in a whisper, like he was speaking more to himself than to me. I wonder what things have been happening outside this place. We never receive word of what goes on in the Seireitei or anywhere else for that matter. " It will be sunrise before too long, should you not be heading back now?" I noticed now the lighter color of the sky to the east.

" Yeah, I suppose I should." He merely nodded at me, face still looking out in the distance. " Goodnight, Sir." I said, bowing slightly, as I always did.

He turned to look at me, turquoise eyes unreadable. " Goodnight, Haru."

With that, we turned and went our separate ways.


	2. Chapter 2

" Hey, Captain Hitsugaya!" I shouted, spotting him walking a ways ahead of me in the street. He paused and turned to look who had called him as I jogged to catch up to him, Yuri and Ren following along confused. They didn't exactly know about my nightly routine. So they were rather surprised when I had told them I wanted to invite the Captain along with us while we went and had lunch in the forest.

" Good after noon, Captain." Yuri said respectfully, her and Ren bowing.

" Afternoon." He replied shortly, looking at me questioningly.

" I, uh, well I wanted to ask you if you would, um, like to go out into the forest with us today?" I said nervously.

" We're going to have a picnic!" Yuri chirped happily.

" Yeah, someone has been leaving food and stuff at everyone's doors recently, so we decided to make a treat out of some of it today." Ren explained.

He just stared at us for a moment, silently thinking it over. I figure he will say no, with Takeshi still out there and a threat to everyone. " I'm afraid I cannot. I apologize." Was his expected answer.

Ren and Yuri's expression turned to that of disappointment, but I wasn't about to give up. I have yet, in the week he has been here, seen him relax. The closest I have is at night when he is sitting on the roofs, but I have began to notice that even then he is completely alert and ready for anything. " Please, Sir, it would be our pleasure. I insist." I said, smiling, silently begging him to. Despite my lack of really knowing anything about him, I feel like he's my friend. Plus I still have that feeling that I know him and I've been looking for something, anything, that would make me remember.

" I believe you should go, Captain. We shall be fine while you are away for this short time. If we have need of your protection, we shall page you on the Soul Pager." The Village Leader, who apparently had been there, unnoticed, the whole time, said.

Captain Hitsugaya sighed, seeing no real way out probably, " Alright, I will come." He said. My face burst into a grin.

Ren and Yuri stayed uncharacteristically quiet as the four of us walked along the forest path to the clearing we were headed to. I guess they're intimidated with the Captain being there, but I've gotten used to him already. We arrived in the clearing still in silence, Yuri, Ren, and I setting up to eat while Captain Hitsugaya stood close by, observing, flicking his gaze about us every few minutes. Yuri sat the basket with the food down, rummaging through it and pulling things out one by one and distributing them. We sat around in a circle, Captain Hitsugaya sitting between me and Yuri. I spotted a slight blush spread across her nose when he sat down.

Ren was the first to begin eating, everyone else soon following, the silence still hanging heavily. I gaze down at my food sadly; I wonder if Ren and Yuri wish I hadn't insisted on bringing Captain Hitsugaya with us…

" The meat would be better warm." Ren's voice commented, his nose slightly scrunched up.

" We could make a fire to put it over." I said, standing to gather supplies to do so.

" But how will we light it? We didn't bring any flint." Yuri commented from her place on the mat.

" I could assist with that." Captain Hitsugaya's voice suddenly said as he stood beside me. " It would be a simple Kidō spell." He explained.

Ren's face bloomed into excitement. " That would be great!" He shouted, immediately flushing in embarrassment afterward at his eagerness. Captain Hitsugaya smirked slightly in amusement and I grinned at my friend.

" Well, let's get to it then." I said, heading off to gather some sticks with Ren, Captain Hitsugaya following for a short distance then stopping, glancing back at Yuri still sitting on the mat alone. Ren didn't get out of sight from the two of them, his jealousy rising no doubt, and hurried to gather enough sticks and get back. Because of that, it didn't take us very long to have enough for a small bon fire. When we left the shelter of the trees, I noticed Captain Hitsugaya talking to Yuri, but their conversation ended before we could get close enough to hear it.

Captain Hitsugaya stood close behind us as we arranged the sticks to be lit, Yuri standing beside him. " Hadou Number 31, Shakkahō!" He spoke the incantation smoothly, holding out his right hand, finger tips pointing up, palm towards the pile of sticks, as a ball of crackling red energy began to force. It didn't get very large before shooting off into the wood, disrupting the stack and causing it to fall some, but caught fire instantaneously. When he turned to face us his face became one of confusion due to our awe filled expressions.

" That was…so…cool!" Ren shouted, face splitting into a grin.

" You all have never seen a Kidō spell before, have you?"

" No, we haven't. Actually, until you showed up, we hadn't ever seen a Soul Reaper either." Yuri said quietly, causing him to frown.

" Nobody ever bothers to come way out here for anything." I said, the same bitterness in my voice as before when I said this.

" Well, it should be amended shortly." He replied curtly, glancing at me with that same expression from the night I had first started talking to him. The expression I can't understand or quite describe. I want to ask him about it, but even if Yuri and Ren weren't here, I don't know how I would go about doing that.

We moved all of our things closer to the fire, putting the meat on some long sticks to cook it, and resumed eating. At first I thought that the white haired Captain wouldn't eat now because, although we got it as clean as we could, the stick was still kind of dirty, but it was all we had. He must be used to eating on plates with utensils and everything being clean. Apprehension blooms in my chest as I think that he might be disgusted by us now by our eating this way. Yuri and Ren's faces show me they feel the same and we all hesitate to get our food out of the fire and eat it.

" If you don't get it, it will burn and this would have been for nothing." Captain Hitsugaya told us, taking one of the sticks with the roasted meat and biting into it without a moment's hesitation. I saw Ren grin as he snatched another and took a large bite, yelping quietly as he jerked back, having burned his mouth. Yuri and I laughed at him as Captain Hitsugaya smirked to himself quietly.

It was like there had never been any apprehension at all now, Ren and Yuri smiling, laughing, and joking around like normal, me joining in as Captain Hitsugaya watches, commenting every now and then, smirking almost continuously. I believe he really is enjoying himself here, allowing me to relax finally and release the last bit of the tension I had about having invited him. It's like a barrier between us normal souls and the Captain of Squad Ten had been broken, allowing all of us to relax and enjoy each other's company.

We'd now been in the small field for over an hour, with my friends and I talking and laughing, Captain Hitsugaya contributing some. At the moment, Ren and I are about to have a mock dual; each of us with a small, thick branch in it our hands to fight with. As we prepared, I felt the Captain's eyes on us and, turning to look back at him, discovered that the stood next to Yuri a short distance away, seeming to ask her a question. He's probably asking what we're doing.

" You ready, Haru?" Ren asked excitedly.

" I can tell you are." I laughed, holding the branch readily in front of me. He did the same and Yuri walked over to stand between us.

" Are you both ready?" We nodded, not taking our eyes off of each other. " Ok! And….Begin!" She shouted, quickly darting backwards to be out of our way and falling back to stand beside the Captain.

With a shout, Ren slammed his branch into mine, breaking off some of the bark with the impact. I shoved him back and slashed at him, also breaking off bark with a noisy cracking sound as he block the blow. We blocked, slashed, hit, and laughed as we kept going. The two bystanders watched us, Yuri shouting encouragements to both of us and cheering as Captain Hitsugaya watched silently, turquoise eyes calculating and amused. Embarrassment floods through me as I think of how juvenile this must seem. My distraction in taking time to glance at them, however, made it worse, for Ren hit my branch with as much force as he could, sending me stumbling backwards and falling to the ground.

" Yeah, I won!" Ren cheered, thrusting the branch into the air over his head in victory. All three of them walk over to me, Captain Hitsugaya offering me a hand to help me to my feet. " I got you good!" Ren gloated, a large grin on his face.

I must look embarrassed, because Captain Hitsugaya speaks up. " Yes, you won, however I see no reason for your gloating. The majority of the dual he was winning, plus both of your techniques and forms are horrible." I'm not quite sure if he was trying to help at all or not now.

" Well, I, uh…" Ren said, trying to make some sort of comeback but not being able to think of one. It's probably better that he can't, because he always makes to worst comebacks.

" Then perhaps you should show them the correct ways then, Captain Hitsugaya." Yuri said, her face flushed slightly in anger.

He blinked in surprise and glanced at her, seeming to not understand where the sudden hostility came from. " Alright." He replied simply, grabbing his Zanpakutō off his back, sheath and all. " Come here, both of you. Now act as if you are about to battle. What is your stance?" We held our branches out in front of us with both hands, feet slightly together, back straight. He frowned as he walked behind us. " Your feet need to be set further apart." He commented, tapping our ankles with his sword. " You must also lean forward slightly into the blade." I felt his hand on my back as he pushed my shoulders forward some.

He circled back around us, still frowning. " Try to copy my stance." He commanded, smoothly falling into a stance. He stood with both hands of the hilt of his Zanpakutō, feet slightly apart, most of his weight on the top of his feet, and his shoulders leaned forward only a small amount. Ren and I studied him for a moment before standing in a similar stance. After a moment he relaxed, " Better. Now, Ren, I want you to attack me."

He didn't adjust him relaxed posture at all. " Now?" Ren asked hesitantly.

" Yes, now." I watched him gulp nervously as he charged forward and swung, meeting only empty air as Captain Hitsugaya stepped to the right, leaning out of the way smoothly, his blade reaching down to hit Ren's feet lightly, causing him to trip and fall. As Ren landed with a small yelp of surprise, I glanced at the Captain, meeting his smirk with a smile as I understood why he had tripped Ren instead of simply blocking. " Alright, now you, Haru." He said, turning to face me, stance still calm.

Taking a deep breath, I rushed at him, the branch held out and slightly to the side as I watched his movements. I swung the branch horizontally with all my might and he parried the blow with his sheath, one hand on the hilt, and forced me backwards. " Not bad." He complemented before moving forward and swinging at me skillfully in an upward slash. I tightened my grip and prepared myself for the impact. " If someone is attacking you like this, it is best to avoid the hit, otherwise you risk having your weapon knocked out of your hand." He said, the side of the sheathed blade resting lightly on the underneath of the branch. I nodded wordlessly as he withdrew.

" Can I have another try?" Ren asked, now standing. Captain Hitsugaya nodded, moving quickly over to him in an attack, striking the branch and sending bark flying. Ren winced as the rough bark by his hands dug into his skin. I watched as the Captain closed his eyes for a brief moment and breathed deeply. His next blow landed much more easily, allowing Ren to counter with his own. He parried smoothly and attacked again, coming at him with an upward strike, no doubt testing to see if he was listening to the advice he had given me, and wrenched the branch out of Ren's hands, sending it flying into the air.

" As I said to Haru, dodge a blow like this, it is too risky for this could happen and in a true battle, it could very well mean death." He said calmly, lifting up his blade and knocking it into the descending branch, causing it to flip into his outstretched hand. " If you wish to improve, think over what I have said and practice together. I must be heading back now." Ren nodded, taking the branch back from him with a bow of his head.

" Must you go, Captain?" Yuri asked quietly, disappointment lacing her voice.

" Yes. I apologize but I must return to my duties and make sure the village is safe." He said, an apologetic expression on his face.

" Can't you sense where the Arrancar is?" I asked. I had read somewhere that Soul Reapers could sense the reitsu of other beings.

" Many have developed the ability to conceal their reitsu, making it impossible to track them. It is a part of their acquiring the abilities of Soul Reapers. You cannot feel my reitsu, can you?" He asked.

I paused a moment, " No I don't feel anything from you. But, would I really be able to?"

" Yes, I am a Captain and my spiritual pressure is immense, ordinary humans can feel it to an extent. If I were not concealing it there is a good chance that your spiritual bodies would not be able to withstand the strain and would disintegrate."

Ren and Yuri's eyes widened. " Wow." I breathed, shocked that that was even possible. " Do you think that any of us would ever be able to become Soul Reapers?" I asked as he began to turn away to return to the village.

He paused, his back still towards us. Slowly he turned to look at me. " You have much untapped power residing in you, Haru. It is very possible that one day it will awaken and you will be able to." His eyes turned to Ren. " You may as well, but your reitsu is very low and underdeveloped. With proper training, you may indeed become one as well. But it will take much time." Finally he turned to Yuri. He studied her for a moment, her face apprehensive and slightly afraid. " You…" he shook his head at her. To Ren, I'm sure that she appeared disappointed, but I could tell that it was forced. She was glad he had said that, I just don't know why.

I turned back to look at the white haired Captain, only to find that he was no longer there, he was quite a distance away, walking steadily back to the village, his blade once again strapped to his back.

The storm that Kytoshi has been warning us about for weeks now has finally arrived. We, unlike most of the village, were fully prepared by now. We'd warned them, but everyone just thought that the old man had finally gone crazy. Now they see he hadn't as the dark, threatening clouds rolled ever closer, flashing with lightning and booming with thunder. Everyone was scrambling to secure their things and ready their homes.

When the storm finally released its fury upon us, the four of us thought we were safe, that we would be fine because we were the most prepared in the village for this storm, but things have a way of changing. It's been down pouring for only several minutes, but the wind is already howling and whipping the rain against our wooden walls. Luckily, we had patched most of the leaks in both the walls and the ceiling, but not all and water still managed to get into our hut.

" I hope everyone in the village stays safe. This is already a really bad storm." Yuri said quietly from where she was huddled up in her light blue blanket against the wall. She had always hated storms. She jumps with every flash of lightning and boom of thunder. The wind and rain left her shivering in fright as her golden eyes stay squeezed shut. Ren, however, never leaves her side. Every storm we've ever been through he always stays right beside her, one arm wrapped comfortingly around her thin shoulders.

" I'm sure everyone will be fine. Despite people ignoring our warnings, everyone has been working hard on patching up the houses." I replied, closing my eyes and listening to the rain. I was the opposite of Yuri; rain relaxed me and storms were like a shot of adrenaline in my veins.

An explosive boom was heard close to us, causing all of us to jump in surprise and Yuri to emit a sharp shout of fright, when suddenly everything around us collapsed. Wind and rain whipped and slashed at my skin as all the protection from its fury disappeared. My throat burned as smoke filled my lungs, causing me to cough violently as my eyes began to water, blurring my vision.

I felt a sharp, sudden pain in my head before everything blurred and got fuzzy. I closed my eyes, opening them lazily when I heard a familiar voice shouting for me. I blinked again and saw a figure with shockingly white hair standing over me, yelling words to me that I can't understand. When I managed to open my eyes again there is no more rain or wind or smoke and the white haired figure is gone. It's calm. A blanket is draped over me and a roof holds firmly over my head although the sound of rain and wind still meet my ears. Pain radiates through my head as I sit up, almost causing me to fall back down.

" You shouldn't move too much." A familiar voice says suddenly. I glance quickly to the doorway, finding Captain Hitsugaya striding in.

" What happened?" I murmured, my voice slurring as I stumbled over the words. Weariness clung to me, making my vision waver for a moment.

" A tree fell onto your home." He said shortly, sitting down beside me, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.

His words sunk in slowly, but when I finally was able to grasp what it was he was telling me, I shot up, my head spinning wildly. " The others-" I began breathlessly.

" They are fine." He laid him hand on my shoulder. " Look." His turquoise gaze glided to the other side of the room, my own following. Ren was asleep with Yuri close beside him.

" Kytoshi-"

" Is in the other room also asleep. You are in the Village Leader's home now." He finished, gently applying pressure to my shoulder to make me relax back down. I sighed in relief. The weariness and dizziness were almost gone now, allowing me to focus and finally take everything in. I finally noticed that Captain Hitsugaya was dripping wet, causing him normally spiky white hair to appear darker and hang down even more in his face. " Only you and Ren received injuries, but both of you will be fine. Ren, however, will be unable to move around much for several days. He was trapped underneath of a wall."

I paused, processing the information. Everyone was ok. That was good. We don't have a house anymore, but the only thing that really matters is that we all made it out of this alive. Thanks to Captain Hitsugaya. I know he's the one that got us here. There's no way that Yuri and Kytoshi dragged both me and Ren all the way to the opposite end of the village in this storm to the Village Leader's home. " Thank you, Captain." I said softly.

" Hm?" He opened his eyes once more to look at me.

" Thank you, for saving us. Without you, we would probably still be stuck in the ruble." I smiled gratefully towards him, and, for some reason, he looked away.

" It is my mission to keep this village and everyone in it safe."

" From Hollows. You didn't have to help us, but you did. And for that, I thank you." He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't respond, merely closed his eyes once more and relaxed against the wall. I followed suit, listening to the soothing sound of the heavy rain.

" May I ask you a question?"

I opened my eyes to glance at him. He was looking at me calmly, but I can just barely see the apprehension in his eyes. " Of course."

" Do you remember anything from when you were alive?"

My dream immediately comes to mind. " Not really." I answer truthfully. I know that my dream is a memory but it's still so dark and hazy I don't know exactly what I am remembering. Disappointment and sorrow flash across his expression but are gone so quickly I am unsure if they were really there at all.

" I see." He sunk a little against the wall, his eyes looking up to the ceiling.

" Do you?" I ask hesitantly.

He doesn't answer right away or look back at me. " Of course not. We are not supposed to retain those memories here." His voice is small and completely unconvincing. We fell back into silence again, the rain's music filling the air. Before long, I fell asleep once more.


	3. Chapter 3

The storm died quickly, but did massive damage throughout the village. Our little shack was not the only one that was damaged during the onslaught of rain and wind, although ours was the only one destroyed. It's been several days now since the storm hit, and the village is in the best shape it's ever been, thanks to Captain Hitsugaya. He paged the Seireitei and had supplies and repair workers sent to us to assist in the reconstruction of everything. The village was swarming with Soul Reapers now, all busily working and speeding up the process by months.

I had noticed that Captain Hitsugaya has been seen, at least by me, less and less around the village. When I asked Yuri and Ren, they told me that they had seen him several times, but always going out of the village to patrol and once said, when asked by Yuri, that he was heading to several other villages around us. His lack of being in the village was understandable then. But now, with all the work done and the other Soul Reapers gone, it wasn't. At night when I still woke from my dream, I would arrive at the house he was always on to either find him not there or to just glimpse his form heading into the forest. It damn well is beginning to seem like he is avoiding me.

Today I'm going to get some answers. Is he avoiding me for some reason or is he actually just very busy? I need to know. If it's the former, I just don't understand. Why would he be avoiding me? I've racked my brain for a reason and have yet to come up with a single one.

I spot Yuri ahead of me on the road. " Yuri, wait up!"

She jumps and turns around quickly, almost dropping the basket of food she is carrying. " Hey Haru." She seems to be struggling with the weight of the basket.

" Do you want a hand with that?" I offer, reaching out to take it from her.

She clutches onto it. " No, I can handle it."

" Ok, if you say so." I reply skeptically. The girl looks like she's about to drop it but I leave her alone about it. " Has Captain Hitsugaya seemed like he's acting weird at all to you?"

She pales at the question, catching my interest. " N-no why do you ask?" she is such a horrible liar.

" Well, to me, it seems like he's avoiding me for some reason I can't come up with."

She looks down, staring at the fruit and bread in the basket. " I don't see why he would be." She whispers.

" Are you sure? You seem to know something you aren't telling me." I bend down so that my face is in her line of vision.

She sighs and looks at me again. " I can't tell you anything Haru. I'm sorry."

I scowl at the answer. "Since when did we keep secrets from each other?"

" Since I promised Captain Hitsugaya. If you want to know you have to go see him and get him to answer because I can't. I'm sorry Haru."

" Fine, I guess I will."

" He's in the forest." She says as I begin to walk away.

So apparently he's told her something. Why would he tell her and not me? Obviously it has to do with me and I thought that he and I were friends. Whatever it is that he told her I'm going to make him tell me, that's for sure. There's something going on here and I'm going to find out what.

I find the white haired Captain sitting against a tree, his sword across his lap and his eyes closed. Coldness clings to the air surrounding him, covering the tree truck and the grass in a very fine layer of sparkling frost. He seems so unguarded and vulnerable like this, but at the same time he could be ready to unleash his Zanpakutō at a moment's notice. I simply stand in front of him, unsure of what to do. Normally he would have noticed me and said something or done something in acknowledgement by now. Instead he's just sitting there like he's in some sort of trace, radiating coldness.

" Captain?" I finally ask, trying to gain his attention.

" Yes, Haru?" His voice sounds slightly annoyed as he finally opens his eyes, the cold fading away quickly.

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. " What were you doing just then?" Were you ignoring me in hopes I would leave?

" I was speaking with my Zanpakutō."

" You can do that?"

" Yes, I can do that. And, if you become a Soul Reaper, you would be able to as well."

" But I thought a Zanpakutō was just a weapon."

" It is much more than that. It holds the manifestation of your spirit. That is why there is only one of each for they are born from your own soul and are as real as you and I."

" Oh…" I say. My lack of knowledge about these things is starting to become embarrassing. At least he didn't sound annoyed when he was explaining it. " Captain?"

" Yes?" He leans his head against the tree and looks up at me.

If I don't just say it I probably won't at all so here goes nothing, " Have you been avoiding me?"

He blinks in response, appearing to be caught off guard by the question. " I have simply been trying to complete my mission here so that I may return to the Seireitei."

" Why the sudden rush?" He hadn't seemed like he was in a hurry to complete his mission here before. Why now?

He sighs. " I wish to return."

" Oh…" I hadn't really thought about that. He has friends there. People he probably is beginning to miss. I don't really want him to leave. I think of him as a friend and once he leaves, I probably will never see him again. He's the Captain of Squad Ten and I'm just a lowly soul in an outer village of the Rukon. " I want to tell you something, Captain." If he's going to be leaving, I need to tell him about my dream now in case there is some chance he may know something.

" Yes?"

" I've been having this dream lately." I notice the interest and hope spark in his turquoise gaze, making them blaze with such intensity that I look down at my feet. " I'm not sure what exactly it's about but I know that I knew this boy when I was alive that was killed trying to save me and I can't see his face or hear his name in my dream. But, I think tha-" My breath was forced out of my lungs forcefully as his body tackled mine, sending us both to the ground. " What are yo-"

" It's time for round two little Captain!" An insane, blood thirsty voice sounded maliciously through the air as a monster appeared before us, where we had been a blackened piece of ground behind him. I snapped my eyes up to Captain Hitsugaya who was now standing in front of me, his Zanpakutō in his hands and ready to attack.

"Reign over the frosted Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!" Captain Hitsugaya shouted, charging at the Arrancar, a dragon of ice swirling from his blade.

It had to be Takeshi that he was fighting, but he looked so different. Before the Arrancar had been thin, only semi muscular, and by all appearances, minus the hole in his chest, appeared human. But now he definitely did not. Multiple limbs with wicked sharp blades extruded from his back, his arms now twice the length they had been and tipped with talons. He looked painfully thin and his skin was a sickly grey brown color. He looked like something pulled out of a horror story.

His movements were faster, blurring my vision with their speed, but somehow Captain Hitsugaya was able to meet him blow for blow. They began disappearing and reappearing all over the clearing, causing trees to crash down and the ground to crumble under the force and power they released. It was rather startling really, the destructive force they were emitting. If they were any closer to the village, they could very well destroy it as well.

" Haru!" The Captain's voice snapped at me, causing me to jolt out of my thoughts and the thrill of watching them battle to notice the tree about to fall over on me. Panic seized me as I tried to run, even though I knew I wouldn't be fast enough. Something caught my wrist and pulled me sharply to the side, allowing the tree to crash to the ground harmlessly, and also almost dislocating my shoulder. Snapping my gaze up, I find the Captain, tense and looking around us, scanning for where Takeshi disappeared to, his hand still firmly around my wrist. Finally he moved his gaze to me, releasing my wrist. " Stay here and stay alert." He ordered, disappearing and reappearing in the center of the clearing. Immediately Takeshi appeared before him, an insane smile on his face, full of anticipation and bloodlust despite the bleeding wounds inflicted on him.

" Ready for more little Captain?" He taunted. Captain Hitsugaya scowled at the remark, charging forward. Maniacal laughter rung through the air as suddenly a thick, sickingly green cloud erupted out of the appendages sprouted from his back, quickly enveloping the area around him and Captain Hitsugaya. It dissipated quickly, allowing me to see the duo again. The Captain was on one knee, coughing violently as Takeshi stood over him, smiling like a manic. " You fell for it little Captain! That gas, that was poison. A poison that slows your movements and attacks the tissue of your throat and lungs, leaving you unable to breathe. Hope you were ready to die, because you are!"

The lunatic began to laugh again, lashing out with the blades on his back to hit the Captain, sending him flying backwards, blood spraying violently from his now ripped open skin and through a tree, then grabbing him again around the torso. My dream suddenly forced its way to my attention, allowing me to finally see it clearly. I watched in horror as Captain Hitsugaya was whipped through the air in what seemed to me slow motion as my dream overlapped what I was seeing in front of me. I saw Captain Hitsugaya, but I also saw the boy from my dream, my brother from when I was alive, who, I could now so clearly see, also had white hair. As the Captain was slammed forcefully into the ground a name, the same one as from my dream that I could finally remember, ripped from my throat. " Toshiro!" I began to run forward. I couldn't stop myself, the dream influencing my actions as I still saw both events happening before me.

Suddenly Captain Hitsugaya's image cracked, the sharp sound of breaking ice penetrating the air. " You are foolish to believe that I would fall for such a trap so easily." Both Takeshi and I snapped our attention to where the Captain stood, completely unharmed only several feet behind the crazed Hollow.

" What?!" The Arrancar bellowed in rage, tearing his eyes away toward the figure he had wrapped in his grasp. A cracked, mirror image of the Captain laid unseeing. " Ice!?"

" Of course." He said, smirking sarcastically as he slid his sword from its sheath, the ice shattering and spraying out as he did, rewarding him with a howl of pain as the sharp shards of ice pierced through the blade tipped tentacles that had been wrapped around it.

" You'll pay for that!" he roared, looking back up only to find that Captain Hitsugaya had vanished.

" No, I don't think I will." His cool voice floated to him.

" It doesn't matter if that wasn't you, I have an infinite supply of poison!" He yelled triumphantly.

All I saw was the flash and glint of his sword before it was over, Takeshi's eyes widened in shock as his body froze, blood pouring out of his now sliced open chest. He fell to both knees, beginning to dissipate, body completely disintegrating as his torso began its decent to the ground.

I stared, not believing it was over so quickly now, still trying to process what had happened. The Captain was walking towards me now, his expression completely closed off and guarded. He stopped several paces away from me. " Are you injured?"

" No. I'm perfectly fine. How… When did you…?"

" I have the ability to create a mirror image of myself through ice. When I saved you from the tree is when I switched."

" Oh…" I said dumbly, not able to think of when exactly in that moment he had.

" How did you know my name?"

I blinked. " What?"

" You shouted 'Toshiro.' That is my first name and I have not once mentioned it to you or anyone in the village. How is it that you knew it?" I don't understand why there is a hesitant eagerness in his gaze.

" I…I just remembered something… That dream I've been having. It's about…about my brother's death. He was killed by a hollow protecting me… His name was Toshiro… He was… He's you…" Realization and understanding finally dawned on me. All the odd looks, the openness, the avoidance, everything; He remembered and I didn't.

" Now you understand why I had been avoiding you." I looked at him questioningly. " You do not understand how much torture it is to be beside your brother and them not even know who you really are. I lost hope that you would remember and simply wished to leave this place, to allow you to live as you have been and unhindered by memories from your life."

" I'm glad I did remember then. Now you can't just leave and I never see you again." I'd been dreading the day when he would leave honestly. He's my friend and apparently my brother, now he can't just leave and never see me again. I'll hunt him down now if he tries it.

" That is something you needn't worry about now."

" Toshiro?"

He paused before answering, seeming to want to say something, then stopped. " Yes?"

" Why did you use an ice clone? Did you know that he was going to do that?"

" In a sense. When we battled before he had attempted to poison me by cutting me. He managed to graze my arm and by that injected me with a small about of it, but not enough to kill or even really hinder me. It was due to that that I knew he would try something else now so I was cautious until I knew what it was."

" Why didn't you just kill him like you did in the beginning then?"

" Because I didn't know exactly what he had up his sleeve with that poison."

" That's a good point." I conceded. I gazed at him silently for a moment, thinking of the clear image I finally have of my twin. He still seemed almost exactly the same. White hair, bright turquoise eyes, serious expression, chilly attitude. He was older and a Soul Reaper Captain now, but still similar to the twelve year old I remember. " I can't believe I didn't remember." I stated, looking away from him as guilt stabbed at me. He remember. right away, at the first glance, I know it by the look he had given me when we were taking shelter from the ceros in his barrier of ice. I didn't remember him in the slightest.

" You are not supposed to remember when you cross over to the Soul Society. Only when you died unexpectedly or suddenly does a soul tend to remember."

" That would explain why you did then, huh?"

" Yes it would." He said, stepping around me to walk further along the forest path. " Why did it take you so long to get here, Haru?"

" What do you mean?"

" I died almost a hundred years ago."

" What? There's no way it was that long ago!"

" Did you not cross over right away?"

I scowled in thought. Did I? It's still so hazy. " I remember that I was much older than I am now…"

" So you were reborn here." Toshiro stated. " It's amazing then, that you are able to retrieve memories at all."

I ignored is comment. " When I died, I was convinced you were still in the world of the living and I searched for you. I don't know how long I roamed."

" I'm sorry, Haru. I should've kept tabs on you. I should've have been there to cross over your soul. I should've-"

" Don't worry about it, Toshiro, I don't hold anything against you. You gave up your life to save mine, if either of us owes the other I owe you. Not the other way around."

" I didn't save you in order to have you indebted to me."

" I'm not saying you did." We fell into silence for a few moments before a thought appeared to me. " I never got to thank you, by the way. For saving me back then. You didn't have to."

" I do not leave those I care about to die." He answered dutifully.

" Well it's an expected thing for a Soul Reaper Captain, but a pretty noble thing for a twelve year old." I teased lightly. He scoffed at me quietly, opting to remain silent. I sobered up, thinking now of what was to come. "You've fulfilled your mission here. You'll be going back to the Seireitei now, right."

" Yes, I must return as soon as possible. I will most likely have much to do there."

"So what happens now?"

" Who knows. We will just have to wait and see what the future holds. But don't worry, this won't be the last time we meet." I smiled at him thankfully, happy to have my brother beside me again.


	4. Epilogue

It's been almost a year now since I remembered Toshiro. Things have changed so much in that time, just like he said they would. More Soul Reapers were seen in our village, in others as well, as the Seireitei ordered teams of them to go from village to village to mend or build houses and supplies and food were sent to every person-like the ones that I discovered Toshiro had been leaving us. Life wasn't exactly easy still, but it was a lot less difficult just to get through a day or a storm.

After Toshiro defeated Takeshi, he was only gone a month before returning to visit us. After that he appeared in the village once a week, each time giving us some word of advice or a technique to learn or subject to study. He drilled us on it the next week before giving us something else too. At first, although happy at the lessons, we were confused by the tutoring, but after three months, the reason for it finally became clear.

He had come once again, Yuri, Ren, and I all ready for our routine quiz before we all did something together.

_We walked through the village together, chatting excitedly about what we would do next time Toshiro came to visit, when a black carriage rode into town. We were about to go get a closer look, when Yuri caught sight of Toshiro in the opposite direction, walking towards us._

" _There you all are." He said._

" _Captain Hitsugaya, what is a carriage doing here?" Yuri asked curiously eyeing said object._

" _It is here because you three will be coming with me to be enrolled into the Soul Reaper Academy upon my request and referral."_

_Our faces lit up with excitement. " Really!?" Ren shouted excitedly, practically jumping up and down._

_He smirked in amusement. " Yes. Did you believe that I was assigning you homework for no purpose? I was assessing your abilities and natural talent. You have all passed the preliminary assessment. Congratulations." _

With that we were whisked away from our small village and into the academy where we've been ever since. Yuri is the top of our class- apparently she had already discovered her abilities before Captain Hitsugaya had even come to our village and he had known- Ren struggles some with reitsu control but is upper rank, and I'm not far behind Yuri. Toshiro's training gave us an advantage the other first years didn't have, giving us the opportunity to study and practice higher level kidō and techniques. Toshiro doesn't visit once a week anymore, but that's because now both of us were busy instead of mostly just him. I don't mind though because I'm working on being as strong as he is one day.

None of us have been able to contact our Zanpakutō yet, but Toshiro says that mine will most likely have something to do with electricity or water due to my attitude towards storms. He says he feels the same way as I do in storms when he is surrounded by cold and snow. Where I find peace in a storm, he finds peace in a blizzard.

Today my Kidō class is learning Hadou spells, particularly Hadou Number 31, Shakkahō. Several in my class struggle with it, unable to control their reitsu enough to control the energy of the spell, but I do well. It's not very powerful, but at least I hit the target. A cold sensation washed over me suddenly. Looking up towards the door of the class, I spotted my brother walking in, eyeing the instructor.

" Ah, what a surprise!" The instructor exclaimed suddenly. " Captain Hitsugaya, is there someting I help you with?" I turn around sharply, much like the others, and smiled. It's actually been about three weeks since I've seen my twin.

" Yes, but I can wait a moment. Continue." He says smoothly, glancing at the students, eyes lingering on me a moment before flicking to the target ahead of me. He smirked.

The instructor's eyes snapped to the class, " Carry on with your practice."

I could tell that my class mates had to forcibly tear their eyes off my brother. I just smirked and turned around, continuing to practice, feeling his eyes watching my movements. I said the incantation quietly, carefully making sure I said each word, before raising my hands into position for the spell and put as much power as I could into the energy beginning to form in my hand and thought of where I wanted it to go. " Hadou Number 31, Shakkahō!" I said strongly, releasing the energy. The red ball hurled itself at the target, causing the wooden target to be pushed back and blackened. I couldn't help but send a questioning glance to Toshiro. He smirked approvingly at me, happy with my progress I could tell.

" If you don't mind, Sir, would you demonstrate the Kidō spell for us?" one of my female classmates requested sheepishly, looking at her feet and only glancing at him in rapid movements, her hands fidgeting with her fingers.

" Alright." He said, stepping further in the room and raising his hands into the proper stance for the spell. Skipping the incantation, he simply said, " Hadou, Number 31, Shakkahō!" his voice strong and smooth. A sphere of red energy exploded to life in his palm, growing rapidly, much bigger than any of us have been able to get, and sped through the air towards a target. The wooden target exploded on contact, leaving a broken, smoking stand where it had once been. Those in the class, including myself, were amazed and voiced as much. He offered little more than a smirk while seeming uncomfortable with all the praise he was receiving.

The instructor reigned the class in again, turning her attention completely away from Toshiro, allowing him to fade more into the back ground. He stood calmly by the doorway, observing wordlessly, seeming to be thinking deeply on something. " All of you are to have this spell down by the day after tomorrow when we meet next. Understood?"

" Yes Ma'am!" all of us shouted, all eyes on her.

" You are all dismissed." I looked back towards the doorway to see that Toshiro was already gone. I walked out of the room quickly, hoping to catch a glimpse of my brother in the halls. No such luck. I focused, trying to feel his reitsu. I picked up on something feeling cold, like a trail of ice left for me to follow, and follow it I did. I walked straight out of the academy and passed the courtyard into the sparring grounds. Finally I spotted him sitting on a tree branch a ways away from the sparring areas. I smiled at him, " I'm getting good at this, huh?"

" You have improved greatly, yes." The first time he told me to follow his reitsu trail to find him, it had taken me hours to even find the trial itself.

" So checking up on me?" I asked, settling down at the base of the tree. A moment later I heard the soft, barely audible sound of his feet hitting the ground before he sat with me.

" Merely seeing your progress for myself."

I cast a sideways glance at him. Something white amid his black shihakushō caught my attention. " You're injured." I said, shock and worry lacing my voice as I leaned forward.

" Hm?" he said questioningly before glancing down at the white bandages wrapped around his torso that were peeking through the folds of the black robe. " Oh, that. It's nothing to worry about." He said offhandedly, adjusting his attire to hide them again.

" What happened?"

" Madness, that's what. Zaraki managed to track down Ichigo, who happened to be at my squad, and that in itself is not a very good thing."

" Zaraki the Captain of Squad Eleven and Ichigo as in the substitute Soul Reaper that you've told me about?"

" Yes those two. Zaraki has been itching to battle him again after he was beaten by Ichigo several years ago."

" So what happened?"

" My barracks were almost destroyed in Ichigo's trying to avoid the brawl. In trying to stop Zaraki, he sliced me across the chest." An evil look crossed his eyes suddenly. " He got a fight. His barracks are under several feet of snow and ice as well."

" Sounds…crazy." I laughed, trying to imagine the scene described to me.

" It was." He sighed, leaning his head back against the tree and closing his eyes. " What will you do after leaving the academy?"

" I was thinking about applying for your squad." I said sheepishly. " I think Yuri and Ren are as well."

He opened his eyes again and looked at me. " Really? I figured you all would try to go to a different squad, meet newer people."

" You're our friend, and you're my brother, we'll meet plenty of people. But we wouldn't want anyone other than someone we trust as our Captain." I said honestly. I can't imagine going somewhere that you don't know, surrounded by people you don't know, and having to trust these people with your life.

Toshiro smiled at this, looking off in the distance. I smiled too, it was so rare that he actually smiled. Even when we were alive and kids he was always so sullen and barely smiled or looked happy. " Well, you three will be a nice addition to the squad. But don't think I'll go easy on you." He joked.

" Of course not." I laughed.

We continued to chat, Yuri and Ren showing up a short while later. It was like old times after that. We all sparred, Toshiro giving us advice and pointers, watching our movements and progress. It was like a tutoring session but not at the same time. We laughed and talked and joked, completely at ease and just having a good time. By now it's dark, but we're all still in the sparring grounds. Curfew wasn't for a while yet and since we're with a Captain, we'll be fine regardless of what time we get back to the main building.

We all laid on our backs looking up at the clear night sky. The moon was full tonight, shining down brightly on us as the stars glimmered and gleamed. " I bet this forest would be beautiful in the snow." I suddenly said, thinking of the wooded scenery around us.

" Like the woods around that cottage in the mountains?" Toshiro asked.

I though a moment before the image of a small cottage surrounded by trees came into mind. Our family had went there one winter while our mother was ill. She had always wanted to see the mountains covered in snow. She had gotten to right before she passed. " Yeah, just like that." I smiled.

" I've never seen snow before. Well, not that I can remember at least." Yuri said.

" Really?" Ren asked.

" Yeah. I bet it really is beautiful. Tiny, unique pieces of ice drifting softly down from the sky… It sounds wonderful."

Toshiro hummed quietly. The temperature dropped, a chill invading the air around us as the sky clouded over with grey clouds. I scowled, not understanding what was going on. Where had that cloud came from? I turned my head to look at the others. Yuri and Ren were just as confused as I was, but Toshiro was laid back calmly, eyes closed. Something cold landed on my nose, startling me just as Yuri gasped in surprise.

I looked up to see thousands of snowflakes lazily falling down on us. I glanced back to my brother. He had opened his eyes and was gazing up at the sky, face completely full of peace. Yuri stood and began twirling around, laughing happily, as the snow continued to fall, coating the ground lightly. Ren grinned and jumped up, joining her. They danced about together merrily.

After a few minutes Yuri danced over to us, stopping in front of Toshiro, who sat up as she approached. " Thank you, Toshiro." She smiled warmly.

" It's my pleasure." He said back, smiling back at her. Ren, for once, didn't seem to get jealous at all, simply continued to enjoy the snow falling around us. Yuri reached down and grabbed both me and Toshiro's hands, pulling us to our feet. " Come join us!" She shouted laughing, letting go of us once we reached Ren and restarting her dancing around in the snow. We all joined her, laughing and letting loose. The snow melting the cold side so often displayed by my brother, allowing him to have fun just like we did instead of holding back.

I stopped and watched them for a moment. Toshiro had Yuri's hand and spun her around, a large smile on his face as she laughed. He twirled her around into Ren's hold and then he began to dance with her, leaving Toshiro with his face turned skyward, snow melting against his upturned cheeks. This was his element, the embodiment of his soul. My brother the Captain of Squad Ten, the boy genius, the youngest Soul Reaper in history. My twin. And I'm glad I remember him and can have a second chance at having a brother in the Soul Society.

As I watched the three of them I can't help but to smile. My two best friends were with me and my brother too. Our futures were so full of possibilities now. All because of him. I won't ever be able to do anything that will be enough to repay him for all he's done for me. He gave up his life to protect me when we were alive, now he's done all of this. Save me several more times, saved my friends, opened up this future for us. It was all thanks to him.

I honestly am glad to be the Icy Captain's twin.


	5. Bonus Chapter

In the deserted streets of an old town, twelve year old twins, Haru and Toshiro Hitsugaya walked quickly home from school. Haru talked excitedly about the project they had started in his science class while Toshiro simply listened quietly, eyes sweeping around them alertly; something was off, he could feel it, but he couldn't see what it was. " Haru?" he interrupted his brother suddenly.

Haru blinked in surprise. " Yeah?"

" Do you ever feel like things aren't the way they seem?"

His brother frowned as he thought about it. " What do you mean?"

" Like there are things that we can't really see around us." Toshiro watched a girl walk by them, a broken chain hanging lifelessly from her chest. Haru followed his eyes unseeingly.

" Sometimes, I guess. There have been a few times that it's felt like there was someone near me but I couldn't see them. Stuff like that?"

" Yeah, like that." Toshiro said quietly, running a hand through his snowy white hair. Haru always thought it was strange that they were twins in every way appearance wise except for their hair. His was black like their father's and Toshiro's was white like their late mother's.

" Why do you ask?" Haru clasped his hands behind his head, completely at ease.

" No reason." He answered quickly, averting his eyes to the side of them. And again Haru felt that he was seeing something that he wasn't, that he couldn't. He watched his white haired twin closely, trying to understand why he felt this way, when he noticed that Toshiro tensed and went pale.

Worried, he asked, " Hey, you ok 'shiro?" Toshiro didn't answer, instead stared ahead of them, head turned slightly upward like he was staring at something much taller than he was. Terror crept onto his face as his eyes widened at the sight before him that only he could see. " Toshiro! What's wrong?" Haru stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulder, shaking him slightly.

Terrified turquoise eyes followed the movements of the beast in front of him as it raised its talon tipped hand to strike at them. " Haru look out!" He tackled his brother to the ground, the claws just missing his head. He rolled quickly off of his stunned twin, eyes scanning rapidly to determine what to do next. The beast was lifting its hand again, a terrible howl emitting from its masked face. Toshiro's hand snapped down to grab his brother's wrist, yanking him up and forward quickly, again just missing the hit that would surely have killed them both. Toshiro began to run, dragging his confused brother with him. Haru glanced back and saw nothing but deep gouges carved into the once smooth ground where Toshiro had tackled him.

" Toshiro what's happening!?" He shouted, running along with his brother. He could feel a slight malevolent force behind them, but that was all. He didn't understand what was happening.

The white haired twin glanced back at him, eyes not understanding, before snapping up to look behind them then back again. " You can't see it, can you?"

" See what?" He glanced behind them, looking wildly for the thing causing the ground to shake under their feet, causing his brave older twin to look so terrified. Toshiro just shook his head, turning back to look for an escape, his hand that held his wrist tightly trembling in fear. He didn't know what that thing was. Didn't understand why it was chasing them, why Haru couldn't see it, or even why he could. He just knew they had to run, to escape, or it would kill them.

It let out another roar, making Toshiro jump in surprise, causing him to lose his balance and fall, his brother tripping over him and rolling a few feet away. Haru had just barely caught the noise. Toshiro jumped back to his feet as quickly as he could and raced over to Haru, once again pulling him to his feet, head whipping to look for the beast.

" Where is it?" Haru asked in fright, looking around despite the knowledge that he couldn't see it. He let out a small cry of surprise as two hands pushed him roughly aside, making him stumble back onto the ground. As he landed he heard the noise of crunching concrete and his brother scream in pain. Snapping his head up, he saw Toshiro being held by an invisible force several feet in the air. The concrete of the building cracked and crushed around his body. " Toshiro!" His brother had his eyes closed tightly in pain as the invisible hand tried to crush him. He opened his mouth to scream but only managed to choke on blood, coughing it up violently. Grabbing a sharp piece of the fallen building, Haru ran towards his brother, lashing out blindly and sinking the slab of concrete deep into something, warm blood soaking his hand. Toshiro was roughly dropped as the beast reared back in surprise and pain.

" Toshiro!" Haru yelled, running to his brother. Blood flowed from the corners of his mouth and lazily down his forehead. He was breathing roughly and had his eyes closed tightly. " Come on, 'shiro, we have to go!"

Pained, horribly dull blue eyes opened tiredly to look at him. " R-run, Haru." His voice came out weakly, ending in a cough as more blood came out of his mouth from his lungs. It felt like every bone in his body was broken. Breathing was agony and almost impossible.

Tears began to run down Haru's face. " Not without you! Get up, I-I can't just leave you." His face was desperate. He gently grabbed his brother's arm, lifting him from the ground. Toshiro cried out at the movement, agony flaring across his body. Haru managed to pull him to his feet, Toshiro leaning all of his weight on him, unable to use his legs.

" L-eave me here…and r-run." His weak voice said again. He felt more than saw his brother shake his head. He opened his eyes slightly to try to find the monster that was trying to kill them. It had just disappeared, but he could still feel it, it was near, closing in. It was close, really close, it was alm- it was back. Toshiro snapped his eyes up, ignoring the heaviness of his eyelids, locating the large, grey-brown body of the beast, hand once again posed to strike. With more strength than he thought he had left, he planted his feet under him and shoved Haru to the side, his broken bones screaming in protest. His agony filled scream pierced the air once more as he was slammed violently into the ground, the concrete cracking and splintering from the force.

Suddenly the beast's face was right in front of his, its long, snakelike tongue flicking out of its mouth to lick the side of his face. Toshiro let out a startled cry, jerking back from the touch, but the cry quickly turning into a scream as the hand suddenly applied more pressure, crushing him against the ground. " Toshiro!" Haru yelled, once again running to try to help. The air around Toshiro seemed to shimmer in front of his eyes, the shape of the moving air a large, grotesque form. " Let my brother go!"

" D-damn it, Haru…RUN!" Toshiro bellowed with all of his remaining strength. Blood forced its way painfully out of his lungs, erupting from him in violent coughs, his life being crushed out of him. He squeezed his eyes closed in as the pain only seemed to increase. Suddenly, there was another roar from the beast, one of pain and fear, and the pressure was gone, relieving him of some of the pain. He forced his eyes to open, if only a small amount, to discover what happened, what saved him. He saw Haru hovering over him, crying and shouting his name, trying to get him to respond. He shifted his gaze passed him, seeing a man in black and white robes standing in front of the disappearing form of the monster, twin swords in his hands. His hair was long and as white as Toshiro's.

The man turned around, sorrowful brown eyes catching his gaze. " You can see me, can't you." It wasn't a question. " I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner." The man closed his eyes in guilt, turning his face away.

A strange feeling came over Toshiro and the next thing he knew, he was standing above himself and his brother, a broken chain hanging from his chest. He felt no more pain. " What's going on?" He asked the man, not taking his eyes from his brother.

" You died. You are now a soul. I am a Soul Reaper and it is my job to send you to the Soul Society."

" Was it also your job to kill that monster?"

" It's called a Hollow. And yes, it is." The man walked closer to him. " My name is Jūshirō." Toshiro casted his cold gaze upon the white haired man in front of him. Sadness, anger, loss, and pain shown clearly in them. Not saying a word, he set his eyes back down onto his brother. " I will make sure he gets home safely."

" No. I will do it myself. Stay away from him. I'll go afterwards."

" But-" Jūshirō took a step closer to him.

" I said stay away!" Toshiro shouted, turning around angrily. The temperature began to drop, cold seeping rapidly into the air. Haru looked up from his brother's dead body, tears streaming from his eyes. Faintly, he could see a man in black and his brother standing over him, shimmering like frost.

He closed his eyes to blink, but when he opened them again, he was in his room, his father sitting in a chair beside him. His eyes were red, tear tracks still visible on his face. " Dad?" his voice was rough and cracked.

" Haru!" he surged to his feet, coming closer to him and grabbing him in an embrace. His tears started again.

" Dad…Toshiro…?" His father simply shook his head, not releasing him, a sob escaping his lips. Haru's eyes drifted over to his twin's bed where it laid empty at the other end of the room. Tears flooded his eyes. " He can't be…"

" I'm sorry, son. He's… He's gone…" His father hugged him tighter as Haru began to cry again.


End file.
